SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KRON) - As COVID-19 cases surge across California, the state does have a plan in the event hospitals overfill.
With COVID-19 cases climbing and hospitals across the state stretching thin, nearly a dozen surge facilities are on standby.
Emergency management officials said Tuesday, California has 11 alternative care sites scattered across the state that are in "warm status" meaning all equipment is there, set up, and ready to use.
If and when they're needed, they can be opened up within 24-96 hours with some time needed to get staffing together and prepare to accept patients.
These sites include arenas, event centers, fairgrounds, development centers, and an empty department store, each providing between 120-250 beds.
Altogether, the sites provide the state with an extra 1,862 beds.
As of Tuesday, state emergency management officials said a site in imperial county is now set up, with 15 patients in bed.
Officials didn't say when the other facilities might be propped back up.
In addition to the surge facilities, officials say the state has 22 medical stations, which are 50-bed field hospitals that can be quickly deployed.
Renewed planning for surge comes as California projects hospitalizations to nearly triple within the next month. State leaders have warned without changes in behavior, ICUs across the state could be overfilled by January.
"Bottom line is we are looking at intensive care unit capacity as the primary trigger as deeper more restrictive actions because when that capacity goes away, or even when it gets stretched so far, the quality of care sometimes take a dip and we see outcomes we don't want to see," Dr. Mark Ghaly, CA HHS Secretary, said.
State leaders say they are set to make some announcements on other efforts to relieve stress from overwhelmed hospital workers across the state. They haven't said exactly when.
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